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Dear K, (Student Letter #1)

To help me be more critical and mindful of the bonds I’m forging with individual students, I’ve decided to write letters to some of my current and former students. This is the 1st post in the series.

Dear K,

“They have never done anything productive in my class.”

That’s what I overheard another teacher say about you recently. Knowing the teacher, he meant no harm. He really didn’t. He was in the moment and, like most teachers, stressed out about something. But intentions are beside the point. His comment struck me as bold and unbelievable. It was around this time when I realized just how misunderstood you are.

I’ll admit, I was hard on you when we first met. You knew what you wanted and you let everyone know what it was. You were intense and playful. I didn’t like this. I found your energy disruptive. I found it troubling that I didn’t know what to expect from you each day. Would you be cooperative and work hard? Would you put your head down the period? These are the questions that came to mind when you walked in.

Over time, for whatever the reason, maybe I was tired, I slowed down. I talked to you. I learned you. I stopped judging you. Our chats, which have happened right smack in the middle of class, have helped me discover our mutual love of reading, of books. I’ve told you about my writing. We came up with the idea of sharing our favorite books with one another. Because I read and write so much and talk about my reading and writing so much, one day you jokingly asked me, “Mister, why don’t you teach English?” I laughed.

So I have to thank you, K. By letting me into your world, you’ve reminded me to seek out my students’ passions. Whatever they are, I need to find them. There’s so much that teachers can learn from students if they just ask. Meaningful teaching and learning don’t always have to be connected to an Aim and Do Now. You’re proof of this.

I think you’ll remain unpredictable to me. I like that. In fact, I’ve told you that I think you’re unpredictable, and you’ve said, “I need to change,” as if you being unpredictable is a bad thing. If no one else tells you, at least I will: don’t change! The world needs your freshness. People don’t see the world like you do; you refuse to conform and speak out when something’s on your mind. Don’t let others, even your teachers, make you feel that you need to leave your true self at the classroom door, either. Bring it every day. Yes, I hope more teachers learn to appreciate your joyful, yet fiery, presence. They’re really missing out.

I look forward to reading your favorite book. Do you think we can talk about it after class instead of when we should be learning how to factor polynomials? Just a thought.

Sincerely,

Mr. P

P.S. By the way, I don’t teach English because I don’t want to. I don’t want to read Shakespeare or Chaucer. I want to teach math. I love math. I also love to think about teaching math. And as William Zinsser said, “Writing is not a special language owned by the English teacher. Writing is thinking on paper.” Reading and writing help my passion for math, learning math, and teaching math come alive. Also, reading takes me to far away places — sometimes through math, sometimes not. And I like being in faraway places.